Understanding
by G. Sun
Summary: As Risa escorts Don to where other heroine Mia is trapped, she begins to wonder about the mysterious weapon she charges into every fight with. Why did the Keyblade choose a lost soul like her anyway and what surprising conclusion does Risa come to about her Keyblade? Read after REALITY
1. Chapter 1

**The pre action story. The next story will have all my girls being the main characters so I hope you can be patient.**

The farther Don and I walk, the darker the sky becomes, it is as if the sky is bleeding murky blood. Nature no longer exists, there is no wind, no rain, no thunder or lightening, and no sun. Nothing I feel can change the darkness in the sky. The army has stepped up its presence on the street, occasionally stopping us to force us to go indoors. "Over my dead body!" Don would protest as he would knock the surprised soldier into the nearest solid object. Then we would press on. He was not like this before, I wonder what has changed him from the last time I saw him. All he wants to do is fight with everyone and get annoyed like a riled up child, in fact more than once he has asked me if I wanted to settle things with him. "Can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"Why did you kidnap Mia?"

"My boss told me to," he scratches the back of his head and puts his hands in his pockets. Somehow he turned into a child from the last time I saw him. His impatient and childish behavior is easy to read. But what has changed him so much about? Could it be something to do with Mia? I am paying too much attention to the trivial details, Westopolis and other places here are going to get eradicated if we keep going at this pace. "Do you do everything your boss tells you to do?"

"She holds no power over me if that's what you're implying. Aren't you supposed to kill me so why are you helping me?" the urge to bring forth my Keyblade and plunge it inside him is awakened after tucking it away in the back of my mind. One day you will, calm down. One day, it will happen. My hand stops twitching and I breathe a sharp sigh of relief.

"You are not branded with a curse which means you can do whatever you please," I observe enviously. "I know you did not want to kidnap Mia."

"How the hell would you know?" asks Don rudely with a scoff.

"I am very observant."

"So say I didn't want to kidnap her. What am I supposed to tell my boss when I can't carry out my duty?"

"Why are you asking me?" I gaze at the frightened onlookers crowding indoors. It is strange to see the sidewalk empty and the streets car-free at this time. It should be summer soon, I would like to see and feel the warmth of the sun and the see the beautiful trees blooming green. The skies are too depressing, I am surprised people have not started killing themselves by now. "You have the option of saying no. I do not. You should appreciate it," I add quietly.

"Are we there yet?" grumbles Don immaturely.

"We are almost-" I notice something green shining at a construction site to our left. Something about it is drawing me to it. This familiar green glistens in this gloomy world. Jumping over holes and ducking under bars left dangling in the air by cranes, I reach for the giant chunk in a shallow ditch. "A piece of the Master Emerald," I whisper to myself as Don hurries along behind me. Knuckles should not be so far from this, he is probably on his way now. The guilt resonating in the back of my mind resurfaces, making the last words I said to him echo through my mind, _"_I want to go home,_ staying on this island was not part of my plan. Thank you for the shelter and I wish you the best of luck."_ How does he continue to put up with me, how does he forgive me after every wrong I do to him? He cannot forgive this one I am sure. I might as well as said, "I was using you and this island for shelter until I found a way to return home", but what was wrong with that? That is exactly what I was doing, but why do I feel like I am betraying him? Because I spent all of my time here with him? I should not feel guilty, he did not want me there and I did not want to be there so that ends that. Right?

"Are you going to stand there until winter comes or are we going," barks Don impatiently. I throw the shard far away from here, knowing Knuckles will follow it there. I am not ready to face him just yet. "We should be less than five minutes away now, but the army is swarming all over the place," I face him with folded arms, hoping he does not bring up what I just did. "I doubt you are going to walk inside and attack them all, they will gun you down before you make a move."

"Take me to the back then," orders Don in a less gruff manner. We leave the construction site and before I know it, the police station is within our sight. As I predicted, there are grey-uniformed soldiers covering the front of the police station, armed with guns that I am not familiar with. My world is not too familiar with guns for the most part, only rifles. Right before our world was devoured, there were other villages that were experimenting with these weapons. But that is not important now-if I can find a way to the back of the station without getting caught with Don, who sticks out as much as I do, everything should be fine. We crouch below the steps, skulking along the side of the building. "You probably could have gotten in if you went through the sewers," I point out in a low voice. He disregards my comment, eyes gleaming with burning fortitude as he mimics my every move. We quickly make our way over the wired fence and land lightly on our feet. "Perfect," he mutters when he sees a tubular duct. "That's my way in there."

"But to get from here to below the station and where Mia is, it is going to take-"

"Where is she? The quicker I know, the quicker I can get this over with."

"I left before the army took her from you. I am actually surprised they recovered her in less than three hours."

"What do you mean by that? Are you saying you dropped a tip?" his feigned politeness dissolves, leaving only a hurt tone.

"Not me, someone else," I respond, keeping Mizuki a secret from him. If they were ever to meet, I believe Don's impatience and solemnity and Mizuki's impulsive and brash natures would clash. He eyes me suspiciously. "Tell me the truth."

"I already am. We can argue about this now or you can do what you are here to do." Still visibly upset, although I am not sure why, he looks at the duct confidently. He steps back to get a running start. "I will tell you this Don. If you are bringing Mia back to your prison-"

"I'm not. I've done enough," he says blatantly as he leaps into the duct.

"I will not be waiting for you," I whisper into the duct. Now it is time for me to plan out my next move before it is too late for this world.

J.G.P.


	2. Chapter 2

Now that Don is off my back, I can now think about what that man with the blue sclera was talking about. Although Don has seen my Keyblade before, I prefer to examine it without anyone else looking at it. There is a lot that I do not know about this weird blade. What kind of sword appears in a wielder's hands at will? _"A broken Keyblade for a broken girl"_, is what he said. He could have said something like that to play around with me. "Not even a stray cat is out," I say to myself as I sit in an unkempt, garbage-filled alley. I am far enough from the police station not to attract attention and farther away from the annoying sirens. I summon the Keyblade, closely scrutinizing it with the little bit of light from the slightly reddish sky. I knew that when I got it from Angel Island it was a broken weapon but I also knew that it would save me when those Heartless that attacked me. "The broken part is at the tip, where it wants to look like a key," I realize aloud.

When I turn it horizontal, the tip resembles the "toothy" part of an average key. But this part-I rub it gingerly-it looks cut off. No, more like snapped off in an earlier battle. If I was at home I would take it to the best smith my father knew and would have her take a good look at it. But I have to do that myself, I cannot depend on other people anymore. Now what else did that man of licorice say? _"So the Keyblade now chooses lost hearts?"_

"_You have been chosen by a special weapon that can either be used to destroy or to aid",_ Jenuy said once before. They both brought up "a choice", which makes this blade a judge of hearts. So why me? "Why did you choose someone like me? Someone who struggles to live each day. Someone who will never be free. Someone who is trapped by the will of others," I ask the Keyblade, which remains still in my hands. Mother would know, she is an omniscient being who has the answers to all my questions. If I knew how to contact her, I could ask her for help. She can hear me right now begging for her help solving the mystery of what a Keyblade really is. Sia probably knows too, so why am I the only one in the dark?

I hold the Keyblade with one hand and gaze at it hopelessly. Why do you not help me see anything? You enjoy watching me struggle with the mystery do you? I am becoming mad, speaking to a sword as if it is a sentient being that can answer back. The world is coming to an end, my friends are gone, and I do not know myself as well as I think I do. I am not only cursed with no free will, I am cursed with ignorance. Oblivion is my downfall. Is that what the Keyblade likes? Ignorance? _"Why did she get the Keyblade, why is she your chosen one? Why her?!" _Sia cried out a long time ago. I wish I knew why I found this sword Sia, I wish I had all the answers._"Risa is not aware of it herself but her heart is one of strength and will never falter-" _

Mother, this time, I think you are wrong about that. I think that is the only thing you are wrong about. "Ignorance is weakness. Therefore, I cannot carry this blade." Why should I cling on to something I do not understand? I pick myself up, shoulders slumping as I look for a trash bag. When I find one, I lift the periwinkle blade up and chuck it in the bag. "You do not deserve me." I turn around and exit the olid alleyway. A flash of blue light gives my hand some weight-the broken Keyblade. "I told you, I cannot wield you." I let it drop to the sidewalk and while I walk away, it returns. "Stop coming back."

I toss it behind me frustratedly and start fleeing from the blade; it inevitably makes its home in my right hand. Sighing, I force it to disappear with my own mental power. So I cannot cast it aside, then I vow to never use it, at least until I solve the mystery behind it. I have wasted enough time with that. "Get out of the street kid!" I roll to the sidewalk as the car that I did not hear nor notice abruptly stops behind me. "I issued a curfew-!"

"That's Risa, hey stop for a second please!" It was the voice of a girl I know. I pick my head to see Mia jumping out of the military jeep and rushing towards me. "Are you okay Risa?"

"Am _I _okay?" I repeat in disbelief. "You were kidnapped." Her cheeks turn rosy with embarrassment. "What about you, are you okay?"

"Yes, but what are you doing way out here?"

"That is what I want to ask you," I reply coyly, glancing at the people inside the car. I think I saw the man in the passenger's seat on television when I slept over at Mizuki's hotel. The others are complete strangers, all wearing the army uniforms. "What happened with Don?"

"I'll explain that in the car, you should come in."

' ' '

"I see. Don did succeed. Where is he?" Mia stares at her shoes timidly. "He was not killed, was he?"

"If he could die, I would've done it," mentions the man I saw on TV in front of me vengefully. "I would've busted his brains out if it did anything." I ignore him and wait for Mia's answer. "Um, Don just ran away after I was confronted by the commander," she answers bashfully and then whispers to me, "I don't think he ran away because he was scared, I think he figured I would be taken care of."

"I see," I cross my arms as we go over a shallow pothole. I doubt that Don would have let her go so easily, every five seconds he asked me if we were near her. He probably ran off because she was picked up by these guys and he was mad that they would have her. But Mia does not need to hear that now. "Seth hasn't changed his position yet. Let's hope we can get him while he's looking for you," says the soldier driving the car. As if his name is taboo, Mia lets her head sink and the rosy color in her face fades away. I suddenly remember the picture of her in his room.

"So it is Seth leading the Heartless then?"

"Yes."

"You know he is asking for a fight. Are you ready for him?" It seems like everyone in the jeep is waiting for the answer. We stop at a checkpoint and while the army men are distracted, I speak to her in a hushed tone. "In his own way, by leading this world into Darkness, he is saying that he wants to finish whatever you two started. Although you two might have been close friends at some point-" she looks up sadly at me "-you have to be ready to take him on."

"I don't have a sword like yours or anything. I'm probably the weakest person you have ever met in your life, there's no way I can...and Seth, I still think that I can save him but I don't think I'm strong enough. I don't know what to do," she replies dejectedly. "I have nothing Risa."

"Is that what you think?" I ask as she lowers her eyes. That boy smiling in the picture made her this way, I finally understand why she is the way she is. How sad. "You cannot let his mixed feelings make you weak and develop a soft spot for him, not while the world is at stake. This is only from observation but it seems that his actions have left you thinking that you are nothing better than trash blowing in the wind. I snooped around his hideout and found a picture of you in his room, despite everything that has happened." She gasps quietly as she blanks out on me. I try to bring her back into focus, "He is trying to move on and you cannot let him end you just to satisfy his own needs."

"You're right Risa," says Mia as if she just realized something.

"Someone once told me when people reach their lowest point, their imperfections surface and they try to hide them, and they usually try to do that by doing something they think might make them look dominant. It is time for you to fight back-"

"He's up ahead Mia," the driver points out. "I don't want to get too close to him but you can come out slowly and we'll be right behind you." Mia shakes her head and opens the car door, sighing deeply. "Don't follow me, he asked for me only. Seeing you guys he might do something stupid. I'll handle him," assures the former docile girl in our group. "Risa you don't have to come out either."

"You misunderstand, I want to get a better view." I jump out of the car and walk side by side towards the boy donning black and violet ahead of me. It is the first time I have seen her step with her head up, it is a happy sight indeed. Violet energy suddenly erupts from Seth, causing a wind strong enough to shatter some nearby windows. Mia and I manage to keep out balance as we press on. When we get close enough, Seth glowers at me, his eyes piercing right through my chest. "Mia, fight hard so that tomorrow, we can have lunch. I will be waiting at the top and if you see Mizuki, let her know I am up there." I pat her shoulder and she nods determinedly. "Thank you Risa," says Mia gratefully. I hurry over to the nearest building, hearing a bit of Seth's conversation with her.

"Finally I get to see you again. I was getting quite impatient."

"Sorry to keep you waiting Seth, I had some issues of my own to figure out first."

Once inside the crowded lobby, I push my way to the back and take the staircase up. It is people like her who make me proud to be living. People like her fight to remind themselves that they are more than trash blowing in the wind. I should learn to take my own advice, I still have my issues to deal with. Once I reach the rooftop I catch a glimpse of a person wearing a dark jacket and grey jeans. "Who's there? It's only you."

"Do not sound too thrilled Don. I just want to watch from a good height but I have to say, I am a little surprised to see you up here too."

"I just want to make sure she's-I want to see why the Professor had me take her in the first place. I also wanna know why this Seth guy is so important to her," states Don so bitterly I can practically grasp the jealousy tone in my hand. I join his side as we look down at Mia and Seth, who look like unimportant specs from down here. But they will decide the fate of this world. Then I remember Seth's face that is burned into my mind. Why can I not shake this strange, familiar feeling off me?

J.G.P.

**I'm really glad this went the way I didn't intend it to go, everything sorta fell into place you know? Finally the moment I've been waiting for is here and I can't wait to write it, aaaaah! **


End file.
